An electric energy generation and storage apparatus

Abstract: The present invention, by means of the electric energy storage and distribution system of differential distribution tpye, under a situation that its mechanic energy is unstably revolved, can effectively absorb the super low/high or overflow revolving mechanic energy and can turn it into electric energy to gain its efficiency of invertion; and further at an off-peak time, by means of controlling A.C. generator to actuate the motor so as to drive the D.C. dynamo to actuate as a generator so that it can charge the battery to store energy.

Description: SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION: The present invention is an electric energy generation and storage apparatus which comprises a propeller constituting a revolving power source for gathering energy from a moving fluid, the propeller having a brake and a speed of rotation detector, an a.c. generator driveable by the propeller to generate a.c. electricity for supply to a power network, a storage battery, a central control unit for controlling operation of the apparatus, a d.c. generator/motor having generator and motor functions controlled by the central control unit; and a planetary gear system connecting the propeller, the a.c. generator and the d.c. generator/motor, wherein the apparatus is operable in the following modes: a) when the speed of the propeller is less than that necessary to generate a desired output from the a.c. generator, the brake is engaged to stop the propeller, and the a.c. generator is driven by the d.c. generator/motor via the planetary gear system, the d.c. generator/motor being powered by the storage battery; b) when the speed of the propeller is less than that necessary to generate a desired output of the a.c. generator, the d.c. generator/motor is operated to drive the a.c. generator together with the propeller through the planetary gear system so that the a.c. generator is sufficiently powered, the d.c. generator/motor being powered by the storage battery; and c) when the speed of the propeller is greater than that necessary to generate the desired output of the a.c. generator, the d.c. generator/motor is driveable by surplus rotational energy of the propeller to charge the storage battery in addition to the driving of the a.c. generator to produce the desired a.c. output. In the prior art, it is known from US-A-4464579 to use a wind turbine coupled to an a.c. generator to supply power to the a.c. grid. It is also known from DE-A-3640121 to use batteries to supply a wind generation system during low wind conditions. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS: Figure 1 is a schematic view of the structure of the electric energy generation and storage apparatus of differential distribution type. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION: Traditional rotary machines change an unstable energy source into electric power. Small and medium power sources of this kind are wind, tide, wave, sea current, rivers, and streams. Wind and water current are unstable and intermittent energy sources, the suddenly expanding peak or trough value of its mechanical energy being difficult to accumulate by existing generating devices. A main object of the electric energy generation and storage apparatus of the present invention is to overcome the defects of the traditional apparatus. The apparatus comprises a propeller constituting a revolving power source for gathering energy from a moving fluid, the propeller having a brake and a speed of rotation detector, an a.c. generator driveable by the propeller to generate a.c. electricity for supply to a power network, a storage battery, a central control unit for controlling operation of the apparatus, a d.c. generator/motor having generator and motor functions controlled by the central control unit; and a planetary gear system connecting the propeller, the a.c. generator and the d.c. generator/motor, wherein the apparatus is operable in the following modes: a) when the speed of the propeller is less than that necessary to generate a desired output from the a.c. generator, the brake is engaged to stop the propeller, and the a.c. generator is driven by the d.c. generator/motor via the planetary gear system, the d.c. generator/motor being powered by the storage battery; b) when the speed of the propeller is less than that necessary to generate a desired output of the a.c. generator, the d.c. generator/motor is operated to drive the a.c. generator together with the propeller through the planetary gear system so that the a.c. generator is sufficiently powered, the d.c. generator/motor being powered by the storage battery; and c) when the speed of the propeller is greater than that necessary to generate the desired output of the a.c. generator, the d.c. generator/motor is driveable by surplus rotational energy of the propeller to charge the storage battery in addition to the driving of the a.c. generator to produce the desired a.c. output. In addition to driving the d.c. generator/motor and the a.c. generator simultaneously, the angle of the propeller can also be changed in a traditional way, or a damper can be included which is operated by fluid force, mechanical force, or magnetic current so as to inhibit the overflow or surplus driving of the propeller. Figure 1 shows a schematic view of the structure of the electric energy generation and storage apparatus. The structure comprises: A propeller 109 which is used for generating rotary mechanical energy from wind power or fluid power. It drives a differential or planetary gear system (see below). In this embodiment, the propeller 109 has a pitch-changing control device controlled by a central control unit CCU102. A rotary speed detecting device may be included, and also a rotary surplus speed damper could be included. Such a damper would typically operate by fluid force, mechanical force, or magnetic current effect. A d.c. generator/motor (dynamo) 101 which is a traditional constant magnetic or coiled exciting magnetic d.c. dynamo, which can be operated as a d.c. generator or a d.c. motor by means of its control by the central control unit CCU102. When it is used as a generator, it can receive rotary mechanical energy from the differential or planetary gear system driven by the propeller 109 to produce d.c. energy to charge a battery 103. When it is used as a motor, it can receive electrical power from the storage battery 103 so as to be driven under the control of the central control unit CCU102 thereby driving an a.c. generator 111 through the differential gear system. The differential gear set consists of a set of planetary gears, including an output/input shaft sun gear 104, an outer ring output/input gear 105, and the circulating planet gears 106. The two output/input shafts and the circulating planet gears connect a rotary shaft coupled to the d.c. generator/motor 101, a rotary shaft coupled to the a.c. generator 111 and the propeller 109 together. A brake 110 is included for braking the propeller 110. A rotary over speed damper can also be included for reducing surplus energy. The a.c. generator 111 can receive drive from the differential gear system to produce a.c. energy. Its voltage value and frequency are fed back simultaneously to unit CCU102 to receive the control. It is also used as a synchronous motor to generate drive from the mains a.c. electricity input. The central control unit CCU102 consists of electromechanical or solid electronic elements for the control of the apparatus as follows: (1) d.c. generator/motor 101 is operated as a generator to generate electricity from the rotation of the propeller 109 which is used for charging the battery 103; (2) d.c. generator/motor 101 is used as a motor to drive the a.c. generator 111 either alone or together with the propeller 109 so that the a.c. generator 111 reaches its generating frequency and the load current, and the rotary speed of the propeller together with the a.c. generator 111 is are sufficient. The control unit CCU102 therefore controls the d.c. generator/motor speed; (3) control of the exciting magnetism of the a.c. generator 111 for controlling its generating voltage and the load adjusting ratio; (4) a brake on the control a.c. generator side and the d.c. generator/motor can transmit to each other solely through the propeller 109; (5) it controls the adjustment of the propelling angle of the propeller 109, or it controls the damper of rotary over-speed energy; (6) it controls the brake 110 of the propeller to stop the propeller so that a.c. power can be generated by the a.c. generator 111 which is driven by the d.c. generator/motor 101 operating as a motor. Alternatively the d.c. generator/motor is operated as a generator for charging the battery 103, the a.c. generator 111 being powered by a.c. electricity to drive the d.c. generator/motor 101. By means of the above-mentioned unique invention, the weaker motive force, for example, of fluid flows such as wind power, wave power and tide power can be used so that the d.c. generator/motor 101 is rotatably driven by the energy of the storage battery 103 together with the power gathered by the propeller 109 to drive the a.c. generator 111. Thus, the power gathered by the propeller 109 which would often be too weak to be used alone, and the power gathered by the propeller 109 when it is stronger can be used more efficiently to drive the a.c. generator 111, and when the gathered energy is great enough, the d.c. generator/motor 101 also charges the battery 103. A differential gear set 104, 105, 106 is used to enable this operation. When the a.c. generator 111 is in the off-peak period, it drives the d.c. generator/motor to charge the storage battery 103. It is therefore a significant improvement on the traditional system which uses a propeller shaft coupled to a single dynamo.

Claims: An electric energy generation and storage apparatus comprising: a propeller (109) constituting a revolving power source for gathering energy from a moving fluid, the propeller (109) having a brake (110) and a speed of rotation detector, an a.c. generator (111) driveable by the propeller (109) to generate a.c. electricity for supply to a power network, a storage battery (103), a central control unit (CCU102) for controlling operation of the apparatus, a d.c. generator/motor (101) having generator and motor functions controlled by the central control unit (CCU102); and a planetary gear system connecting the propeller (109), the a.c. generator (111) and the d.c. generator/motor (101); wherein the apparatus is operable in the following modes: a) when the speed of the propeller (109) is less than that necessary to generate a desired output from the a.c. generator (111), the brake (110) is engaged to stop the propeller (109), and the a.c. generator (111) is driven by the d.c. generator/motor (101) via the planetary gear system, the d.c. generator/motor (101) being powered by the storage battery (103); b) when the speed of the propeller (109) is less than that necessary to generate a desired output of the a.c. generator (111), the d.c. generator/motor (101) is operated to drive the a.c. generator (111) together with the propeller (109) through the planetary gear system so that the a.c. generator (111) is sufficiently powered, the d.c. generator/motor (101) being powered by the storage battery (103); and c) when the speed of the propeller (109) is greater than that necessary to generate the desired output of the a.c. generator (111), the d.c. generator/motor (101) is driveable by surplus rotational energy of the propeller (109) to charge the storage battery (103) in addition to the driving of the a.c. generator (111) to produce the desired a.c. output. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the central control unit (CCU102) operates to control the speed of rotation of the d.c. generator/motor (101). Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the central control unit (CCU102) controls the speed of rotation of the d.c. generator/motor (101) so as to contribute sufficient rotational power to the a.c. generator (111). Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the central control unit (CCU102) operates to control the exciting magnetism of the a.c. generator (111) in order to control its generating voltage. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the central control unit (CCU102) operates to control the brake (110). Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the angle of each propeller blade is adjustable. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the central control unit (CCU102) operates to control the angle of the propeller blades. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a damper for reducing surplus rotational speed from the propeller (109). Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the central control unit (CCU102) operates to control the operation of the damper. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, operable such that mains electricity from the power network can be used to power the a.c. generator (111) as a motor to drive the d.c. generator/motor (101) for charging the battery (103). Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the planetary gear system includes a sun gear (104) rotatable with the d.c. generator/motor (101), a ring gear (105) rotatable with the a.c. generator (111), and planetary gears (106) rotatable with the propeller (109) about the axis of the sun gear (104). Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the propeller (109) is adapted to be driven by wind. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the propeller (109) is adapted to be driven by water flow.

Inventors: YANG TAI-HER, YANG, TAI-HER
Applicants: YANG TAI HER, YANG, TAI-HER
Application year: 1994
Main classification: H02J7
IPC codes: F03D7, H02J9, F03D9, H02J3, H02J7